Archive for November, 2010

So what does 500 mean? I crossed the 500 mark for visits to my blog! It only took a month and a half. So I guess that means not a lot of daily visitors. I actually look at the stats so I know what is going on with my blog. My average is around 15 a day, but that is only because of the high marks being a lot higher than the average. The highest was way back at the beginning (78) with a (44) shortly after that and recently a (31). Some in the (20’s) but mostly near (10) on the low average.

I know I am not doing a world changing blog with information that inquiring minds world-wide would want to know. So I will take what I get and as I get a price page up, ordering available and more excellent crafts and crafting maybe more visits. First the Chicago area, then the world (heinous laughter). 🙂

Today I cut some more reindeer like the other one and also a 4 piece big daddy reindeer. Tomorrow mama and the fawn and more ornaments. It was cold in the garage, but the heater helped make it bearable.

Don’t forget the craft show, Santa’s Secret Shop, at Arbor View School, Saturday Dec. 4 10-2 near the Morton Arboretum in Valley View on Ironwood Dr. You can get there off of Route 53 south of Butterfield Rd. north of I-88. Look for the signs, they are usually posted around the area. Party afterward at June’s house, our neighbor to the south.

Later, Harold

I'll conquer the world with my new blog gun!!

Just kidding June! Wanna see if you still read my blog. 🙂 No party, unless I’ve not been invited yet! 🙂

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Well today was a good day! But no saw dust was made. Other priorities came up that had to take precedence.

Like a money making plumbing job! A friend called over the weekend and needed a water heater put in to replace a leaking one. So I did that this morning. It wasn’t an easy one and had its frustrating moments (okay longer minutes) in case he reads this I won’t gloss it over too much. But it was good to work with the tools again and have a good finish. It just took some effort and also finding out it wasn’t going to go the way I really wanted it to go. Not meaning easy, but the how and in what way it was going to get to that finish.

But isn’t life like that? Some times you got to adjust and then re-adjust and then re-re-adjust! You can’t always go with the flow. Some times you got to swim across it to get to the other side. Some times go against it or, not even get into it and walk your own path, and blaze your own trail! Some times there is no flow at all!

Then this afternoon I took a friend out to lunch and we talked for a couple hours. Both of us sharing some personal stuff and it was a good time. I want to be there for this friend and I WILL BE! Friends need to be there for each other through thick and thin, even unconditionally some times. I want to say more here but I also want to be careful in what I say. Some times I am blunt and that can be good or bad (some times both).

Here goes! Warning read at your own risk!

Have you ever messed up in life? Haven’t we all at some time or to some extent? Yes, there are consequences for that mess you and I have made. But aren’t there times when you or some one needs help to get out of that mess? What do you do?! What do you do for that person who needs a helping hand. Can you really let them go at it on their own?! What if their mess up affects you? Can you forgive? How far will you go in forgiving them? Really, how far should you go? Is there an end? Can you really say you have done enough? I think that we tend to rationalize when we think we have. What you really want is for some one else to take up where you want to leave off (at your stopping point). I’ve done enough, great go pat yourself on the back! Feel better?

But should you really stop? Oh, but I really care…then…SHOW IT! When some one really messed up but is really trying to turn around and get help and get their life back on track as they and you see it. I think if you really care, you and I need to be there for them. Not just to talk, but to take action and be involved. Isn’t that what you would want. Wouldn’t you want to be thrown a life line?! Maybe two?! Would you want to be TOLD “go, be clothed, be fed, be sheltered” and that person talking walks away. Incredulous! They just lost all credibility in your eyes, right?

So what do we do? How far do we go? Do you enlist others to help with out stopping yourself? Will you continue on?

I have lots of questions, not knowing whether I have answers. I may be rocking a boat here, or stepping on toes or kicking shins. Am I sorry?…I don’t know…should I be? I think we all need to pick up some of these shoes and put them on. But will we walk in them?

I’ve done some talking here, I plan on walking it. Are you a talker, a walker or just a looker? Or have you turned away completely.

Have I stirred up a hornets nest in your mind? I hope so! Cause mine is buzzing! Maybe its too much caffeine or I took my vitamins too late today, or both! 🙂

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Being new to this blogging stuff I am still finding things out about it.

Like the “likes” and where they are.

You can like my blog by clicking on an individual title and at the bottom of that blog it has the like button. So you can either click it or not on each individual blog. It is not on the home page that has quite a few titles on it. So if you liked a previous blog you can go to its own page and like it…or not.

We went to church today, did you? Our Pastor spoke on 1 Thessalonians 4: 1-8. It was good! Thanks Pastor Tim. Tonight I led our time of singing before Pastor talked about King Solomon and the 3 books he wrote.

I have a big week ahead, with a lot of saw dust to be made and finishing projects, to get ready for the craft show on Saturday and the Wheaton Academy football banquet that night. Lots of ornaments and other things to do. So I gotta get and stay busy.

I went out on some errands while the rest of the family went to a movie. I got a heater, a heat gun, some wood and a few other things. When I got back I was going to do some cutting but I have not gotten there. Is there a “yet” in there? I am not sure.

Then Benjamin (our oldest) and I started in on stuff for getting businesses going. He is an economics major. So we have been looking into a plumbing business start up and also a wood crafting business, just to keep things separate. We looked into phone numbers and related services and got one set up. So things are in the works! I’ll keep you posted (that’s what I do here!).

The other day my wife was going through a drawer and out came a wooden shirt tie my Dad had made. I’ll put a pic at the end. I think it was made of oak. So I am gonna try and make some of those too. Anyone remember what they are called? T-shirt ties?

Also a pic of Melodie’s number 8, she likes it. I haven’t put a gloss coat on it yet.

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Well it is the DAT, Day after Thanksgiving or BF, Black Friday. Either way we had another Thanksgiving meal and get together, with my family in the area and we did not do any shopping. We never have shopped on this day. Usually I am working if needed or we just stay home or gather with family.

So what did you do? Leave some comments about your day today.

Since it has been cold and I have been busy elsewhere so no saw dust has been made lately and I fear I am falling behind. I did finish the reindeer, though it is kind of a fail. I mentioned staining it before, well it came out more like brown paint. The first coat didn’t come out so well, so I added a couple and got it solid brown. Oh well live and learn. I could put something red on its nose and call it…yep…wait for it…here it comes…do you think you know?

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Well it is the day before Thanksgiving. The time of year we really reflect on the good that we have or had happen to us. I will be the first to admit it has been a tough year. One month ago I passed the 2 year mark of being unemployed. I never thought it would go past a couple weeks! Then months and now who knows when it will end. On top of all that I have what I have! Do I list it all?! I am sure to miss something or someone or a forgotten moment or incident.

But here are a few.

Always start with family, that is a good place for me.

My wife of 25 years, Laura. She is still here and been through it all with me. I love her and she loves me. My six kids though they are not all kids any more. They are good ones and we wouldn’t give any of them up. My wife’s parents, I think we will keep them (not that we have a choice!) 🙂 I couldn’t ask for better In-Laws. They will be here with us tomorrow. The rest of her family is pretty okay in my book too. No problems there!

My family, there are 7 of us left. My parents have both passed and one sister. We are spread from the Chicago area(4) to Tennessee(1) to North Carolina(2). But we are there for each other in good and bad. If I add their kids in we go southwest to Arizona too. I am number 7 out of the 8 kids if you needed to know, now you do. 🙂

Next how about my church family and our faith! I don’t know how we would have survived with out either. I am a Christian and I believe in our creator GOD who is still active in this world and His WORD, the BIBLE. He sent His son JESUS to live amongst us and die in our place for our sin that if we just BELIEVE in His death and resurrection and ask for His forgiveness and ask the Holy Spirit into our heart and make us new we will have eternal life. It is that simple! That is good enough by itself to be thankful for! Our church family is the best. They have given our family unasked for support and it seems to always come when we need it most, the right time!

We still have a house to live in and the amenities that are in it. We have vehicles to get around in. We have enough to eat (maybe more than I should) (that’s a weighty issue) :). We have our God given talents and our developed skills to use in service of others and ourselves.

And ALL our friends we have made over our life time. With out you…well, hey we wouldn’t be friends! I appreciate having friends.

So there are some of mine. Feel free to leave some of yours in a comment if you would like to, I am sure it will help others and maybe even me.

I hope all of my readers have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I don’t know if I will post tomorrow. We will be busy. My love to ALL our family!